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Studio portrait of 968 Sergeant Charles Thomas Palmer, Military Medal, 44 Battalion AIF, January 1917
968 Sergeant Charles Thomas Palmer of Merredin enlisted on 12 January 1916. He embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT A29 Suevic on 6 June 1916 with 44 Battalion Headquarters assigned to the Pay Corps. He was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry between 22-26 August 1918. He returned to Australia on 2 January 1919.
Military Medal
'During the operations from 22nd August to 26th August, 1918, east of BRAY, this N.C.O. was responsible for the maintenance of telephonic communication within the Battalion Area. Owing to heavy shell fire wires were most frequently broken. On very many occasions when a break occurred, this N.C.O. went forward in heavy shell and machine gun fire and repaired the breaks. Owing to his gallant conduct telephonic communication was maintained throughout the whole of the operations, which enabled the Battalion Commander to keep in touch with all phases of the attack.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 115, 10 October 1919
Service Summary
Service Records